


Dead Where You Stood

by darkblueau



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Comfort/Angst, Female Frisk, Fix Fic, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, POV Second Person, Possession, Present Tense, Protective Older Brothers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:54:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5161115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkblueau/pseuds/darkblueau
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Frisk has depression/anxiety, Chara is actively adding to the problem, and Sans is a tad oblivious. The solution might be a little...unexpected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Kinda digging the frequent use of second person in this fandom, but working in present tense was hard. I hope it's okay, despite that.

You were on your way to the core when you noticed Sans in front of the MTT Hotel. He wasn’t looking at you, but you could tell he was waiting for you, so you go over and greet him.

 

"how about grabbing some dinner with me before going on?"

 

Why not? Of course you were paying, but you could afford it. Once seated, Sans says: "well, here we are. so. journey's almost over, huh? you must really wanna go home. hey. i know the feeling, buddo. though...maybe sometimes it's better to take what's given to you. down here you've already got food, drinks, friends...is what you want to do really worth it?"

Why wasn't this good enough for you?

You look at him, willing him to understand. In Waterfall you realized how deeply everyone wanted to reach the surface, and besides, Chara was still under your skin, a violent itch that struck you at all the worst moments. Kindness and compassion helped you to drown her out but… **your soul belonged to her.** Maybe if you kept moving forward, you could find a way to free yourself? **Fat chance.**

 

You start scratching at your arm.

 

It was then Sans starts to explain about the woman behind the door. You knew it was mom, but it amuses you to no end to know that Sans and mom had been exchanging bad puns.

 

You giggle quietly when Sans finishes his knock knock joke, "dishes a very bad joke.” You can picture mom’s face laughing.

 

 **You…must really hate me…** , and her blank eyes flash in your mind. You can remember the dust hitting you as she dissipated. You can remember the empty feeling as Chara made you stand up and shuffle forward. Chara giggles in the back of your head. You stop smiling and scratch a bit harder.

 

Then Sans tells you about the promise he made her, which was to protect you, and finally he says without that promise, "buddy… **you'd be dead where you stand."**

 

A chill goes up your spine. He could’ve killed you then? Your face must have given away your shock, because quickly after Sans says, "lighten up." He's just joking, haha, hasn't he protected you thus far?

 

 **What has he ever done for you?** A tear streams down your face. Chara's voice rings out in the back of your skull, **I will wear their dust. I will kill them all, and when I do, you can remember how Sans ‘protected you’.**

 

“Shut up,” you murmur quietly, and you clutch your head. Sans looks at you, suddenly nervous. You weren’t supposed to get this upset.

You try to wave it off, fix on a smile, but then Sans says, "kid…" He’s not buying it.

 

You hug yourself, and without really meaning to, say quietly, "You should have killed me.” You don’t look at Sans, but you can feel him looking at you.

 

**What’s the point of saying so? Is the scared, wittle Frisk hoping he can do something about it? What a coward.**

 

Sans grabs your hand.

 

"this isn't the place to talk about this."

 

You let him drag you away, and within a blink you're in a quiet corner of Waterfall.

 

"kid…you got a death wish?"

 

You didn't know how to respond to that. You start picking at a scratch on your arm, one you had put there.

 

"kid, answer me."

 

You shook your head. Your lack of a death wish is why Chara's suggestions seemed like such a good idea the first time.

 

There was a pause.

 

Finally he asked: "Why did you say that?"

 

You mumble 'I don't know,' willing him to leave. Give up, Sans.

 

But he’s looking for an answer, so finally you say, "Maybe it's because I killed Papyrus before."

 

Sans eyes go dark. "You did what?"

 

This was gonna take a lot of talking. Why did you say something? You should’ve just kept quiet.

 

"It wasn't in this timeline. You know about resets, I know you do. The first time I came here, I was scared. Everyone was attacking me. I didn't realize the monsters were like people, and Chara kept encouraging me.

 

Then, I hurt Toriel, the woman behind the door. I didn't think she would go down in one hit. She said I couldn't go past her without proving myself, but I didn't want to. She was like the mom I never had… It became really hard to stop after that." Tears were streaming down your face.

 

"And Papyrus?" Sans calm voice gave you chills.

 

"I didn't mean to…' **Yes you did'** …I didn't want to…," you whimper. Your arm bleeds, but you didn't stop scratching it.

 

 **You know what you are, you dirty brother killer.** A vision of Sans with his glowing blue eye flashed through your mind. You remembered being slammed against wall, feeling bones shudder and even snap within you.

 

"Go away!" you yell, reflexively throwing up your arms so they blocked your face. You weren’t sure if you were yelling at Chara or Sans. Then you clutch yourself, suddenly embarrassed.

 

Sans shook his head. **He is so disappointed and disturbed by you, you know that, right? You've ruined everything. In a moment, he's going to leave you and you will never see him or Papyrus again.**

 

Instead, Sans surprises you by stooping down next to you. "kid, i didn't realize what hell you were going through. i knew about the resets, but my memories are…hazy.”

 

“Didn’t you give up on everything because of me?” you ask. “You said it was all pointless, because of my resetting…”

 

“am i happy about the resets? not really. At all. but if i had really given up on everything, do you think i would’ve kept giving the lady at the door the same promise?”

 

You sniffle. You feel a little better. “ **Why? Sans hasn’t helped you. He’s stood by and let you die, by Undyne’s hand, by Mettaton’s, by Asgore’s. He never protected you.”**

Sans mouth was hanging open, and you realized you slipped up. Chara has the reins.

 

 **“I’m in control? Yes, I’m in control! Who to kill first? Maybe Papyrus?”** Chara giggles.You try tugging at your body, but repossessing a body was like trying to move a house. It was why you couldn’t always prevent Chara’s murder sprees.

 

“so, you’re the one killed my baby brother and sent Frisk on all those murder sprees? i got a bone to pick with you, pal.” Despite Sans lax manner, you could tell he was a hair away from cold fury. About the only thing that separated him from the Sans of that other timeline was the fact Papyrus was alive and safe.

 

 **“I’m sure you do, but you’re more fun than the others and I’m down on LOVE. I think I want to save you for last,”** Chara says with a wink. She starts to run, but blue light enveloped your body, stopping her in place.

 

“i’m not going to fight you. i won’t hurt the kid.”

 

 **“You, protect Frisk? Since when?** " Chara laughs. **"Do you know how many time she died?"**

 

"she's fine right now, or at least she was until you possessed her!"

 

 **"Hmm, was she? Can you really say such a thing when your brother turning to dust still wakes you up at night?** **You know, when we did fight, I really liked giving her control just as you killed her. Once, I gave it to her when you spared her, and let me tell you...”** Sans interrupts her, finally throwing some powder in their face so your body fell asleep, with Chara still in it.

 

You breathed a sigh of relief, while Sans picks you up and says to himself, "what am i gonna do with you, kid?"

You are not happy that Chara took it upon herself to reveal all that, but now wasn't really the time to sit and think about your feelings. You touch your own hand and see Chara’s spirit is budgeable. You might be able to bump her out, but first…

 

There is a grey door on the wall that you’ve never seen before. It's probably not a good idea to go off and investigate strange doors while disembodied, but you had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to see it again when you went back, so you enter it. Inside there’s a monster with a cracked skeleton face. The room is grey and forgettable.

 

“Where am I?” you ask.

 

A howl fills the air – was it in pain? - and strange images flash in front of you, among which are hands, boxes and other strange symbols.

 

“I don’t know what you’re saying!”

 

More strange symbols follow that, but finally after three mail boxes, one symbol is flashed repeatedly: a pointing hand.

 

Your gaze follows the hand, and you realize he was pointing out a door to me.

 

“But who are you?”

 

Scissors, hourglass, glasses in quick succession. What could it mean? You want to know more, but you have a time limit. You needed to reach your body and get Chara out.

 

The point hand flashes again. This time you took the suggestion and left.

 

…

 

When you got out, Sans had taken your body and left. That wasn’t good. Near your body and inside that strange room, it wasn’t hard to keep yourself corporal, but you had to stay determined in order to stop yourself from fading. Still, it seems you’re able to manage.

 

You check Snowdin and sure enough, he had your body on the couch, and Papyrus was tucking a blanket around it. A faint blue glow lit your body.

 

“WHEN WILL THE HUMAN WAKE, BROTHER?” Papyrus shouted at the kitchen, where Sans was having some ketchup.

 

Sans shrugs. “probably not for a while.”

  
Good. You need all the time you could get. You start to pull Chara’s out, but she is resistant. She can’t fight you spirit to spirit if she wants to maintain a grasp on your body, but she’s clinging on like a castle under siege.

 

This was gonna be harder than you thought.


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

Chara woke at 4 in the morning which would have been bad, except that Sans didn’t go to bed that night. She leapt to attack him, but again he holds her with his blue attack.

 

 **“You can’t keep me here forever. You need to sleep, just like before.”** Chara laughs.

 

“GOOD MORNING HUMAN! I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE AN EARLY RISER LIKE MYSELF, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” Of course Chara managed to wake him.

 

“morning, Pap,” Sans says without taking his eyes off of Chara, who is hovering in the air.

 

 **“Papyrus, help me!”** Chara screeches. **“Sans won’t let me go! He’s being mean to me!”**

 

“SANS, YOU ARE UP? IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU TAKING AFTER MY GOOD EXAMPLE, BUT WHY ARE YOU HOLDING OUR HUMAN FRIEND HOSTAGE?? THAT IS NOT NICE!”

 

Sans starts to explain himself, but everytime he tries, Chara interrupts him. This was getting ridiculous.

 

But Chara was distracted, which was helpful. You toss yourself at your body with all the force you have, and it works! Kinda. Chara’s throwing a tantrum in the back of your head, but you have most of the control back.

 

“LET THE HUMAN GO! SANS, WE NEED TO BE KIND TO…,” Papyrus is saying, but you interrupt him.

 

“Papyrus, I’m okay. Sans was helping me.”

 

“WITH WHAT?” Papyrus asks.

 

You explain about Chara, and with his curiosity satisfied, Papyrus goes out for some morning training with Undyne. As you explained, Sans had set you on the couch, but you could still feel the hold of his magic over you.

 

“so, not to ask the obvious question, but is it really you, kid?”

 

I nod hesitantly. “Chara is still in the back of my head, but I’m in control.”

 

Sans relaxes his magic and slumps against the couch, and you suddenly realize just how tired he has to be.

 

“Are you going to bed now?”

 

“heh, i wish. i need to work today, and anyway…,” he pauses, and you realize you’re the issue, but he just says, “i doubt i’d get much sleep.”

 

“I’m sorry about breaking down earlier,” you say, rubbing your arm. “It wasn’t really fair to you.”

 

“no, don’t be. i didn’t realize you had a personality like that in the back of your head. i shoulda realized something was up after all those resets…”

 

“I never told you. I thought if I could just get it right once, I might be able to get her out of my head.” You hugged yourself. “But after that one run, I don’t know that I’ll ever get her out.”

 

“it’ll be okay,” Sans reassures you, “i can feel it in my bones.”

 

You shake your head and search your head for a pun. “Mm…Chara doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance! Oh, that was terrible.”

 

Sans chuckles. “i won’t let it get under my skin,” he says with a wink.

 

You try a few more puns, but where Sans would usually support you in wordplay, he starts to go quiet. You notice him looking at your arm, which bears some rather noticeable scratches.

 

Finally you say, “I can see right through you. Why don’t you talus what’s wrong? Otherwise I’ll have to keep ribbing ya.”

 

“all great puns, though I’m pretty sure you picked them up from somewhere else, kid,” Sans says.

 

Yeah you had, off of him, but instead you insist, “Come on, I mean it. Won’t you patella me what’s going on?”

 

Sans gives a little smile, saying, “i guess it’s just that i never understood before what you were fighting against. i’ve actually been mad at you, ever since your first major reset, because i didn’t understand why a kid who seemed so innocent would kill sometimes and not others.

 

I especially couldn’t understand when you killed Papyrus.

 

but you never meant any of it, did you? here i thought i was being so merciful despite it all, but you have to contend with that Thing after every reset, don’t you?”

 

You take a deep breath, and had to think out what to say next. You didn’t know it before, but you had been waiting to hear these words since this experience started. For the first time since this whole thing started you felt understood.

 

 **He’s just mocking you** , Chara says, but for once she can’t shake you. Your struggle to get to the surface, your fight against Chara, your every action for peace and mercy has been validated by Sans. The last time words had such an impact on you was when you managed to spare Papyrus when Chara had been forcing you to kill everyone. You still remember the line “You didn’t do a murder!” with fondness.

 

But Sans is still on the couch in front of you, looking torn up. You don’t want him to feel this way.

 

“In those other timelines, I know we’ve never talked like this. You know you couldn’t have known. I didn’t know what those endless resets were doing to you, until I fought you. I’m glad you’re not angry now, but don’t be sad either. Let’s let bybones be bybones, okay?”

 

Sans nods, and you smile at each other. A moment ago there had been some tension between you, but a few words cleared it all up.

 

With that resolved, you and Sans hug. You still had Mettaton, King Asgore and even Chara to face, but your supportive friendships fill you with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This went in a different direction that I expected, and so though it's not finished, it might take a bit of time before I feel like coming back to it. I've also got some other ideas I think are a little more interesting to work on first. Thank you for reading it!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: There was a wingdings portion that basically translated to Frisk being told to leave and wondering how to speak with her, but ao3 can’t support it so you are left with my inept description. Also, not sure if this needs to be said, Sans has sleep powder with him because he struggles with insomnia.


End file.
